New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-06-05
THE LAND OF THE PHARAOHS
THEIR MODERN SUCCESSORS.
COURT LIFE IN EGYPT BY ALFRED j. BTTLER, WIN
IIm Nnu Sorr. iscrrfibner q Wexford.

IIustrations Syo. DID, POS. London: enapmah "
Hall New-York: scribner & Wexford
The author Of this handsome volume occupied lor
some time the position of tutor TO the hheui'es
SONS As O member of the court he had speclal
opportunities for observation The Khedlve aiSo
was very friendly and communicative with hlhi
and he was enabled to get behind the scenes III
many WAYS and to obtain views OF the inner life
of the khedival Court and Of Egyptian admins
tration such as probably no traveller, however
| favored could have secured Mr.. Butler is q sharp
observer and a good reporter, moreover. He writes
clearly Interestingly and of times brilliantly
He has exercised judgment and discrimination in
the choice OF topics carefully avoiding all hack
neyod themes and combining himself to the descrip-
ton of scenes and the recital Of facts SUCH as
rossess the attraction of novelty.
| N hen he Joined the Court first he found the
! hhedive about TO set out on an expedition 10
upper Egypt, and he was member OF the oourO
party on this occasion. He gives this account OF
his introduction to the Egyptian cuisine:
Our meals on this expedition were at first very
irving. For breakfast one had nothing DuJ u
niece of bread with two kinds of condlment, rose
leaf lam and olives in two little saucefs. ClNee
/ IN oil are specially difficult to relish ut o'clock
IN the morning We lunched at noon and dined
at T. f. @. whenever the povislon-ooat happened
/ TO be within reach but she was slow craft, and
generally overlook us, as an Ai7lD woulu say "O
the Time appointed by destiny.
Luncheon and dinner much alike, ana l
NAV quote a specimen. The five Europeans ana
Iurabi sat together at round table iofned ny
large tray /; each had plate and q knie anu
fork The fist course consisted oil turkey OF
chicken cut into Jumps; next bamias, or Egyptian
beans swimming in oil; thirdly whole sheep
then dolmas, or rice wrapped in cabbage leaves
then mutton homes then pilaf, a preparation OF
rice then n sugarcd pasty, and lastly oranges ana
bananas For side dishes we had lettuce drcnched
with oil raw turnps sliced and soaked IN OIL ana
lie eoi1 Il h0
very delicious by people who have cultivated the
| tast, l. for one could never make the premier
pas qai ooHte.
Not long after he had en- opportunity of wit
Messing the toilet Of an Egyptian magnae. lie
says:
Some OF their manners and customs are very
curious For instance, | could not help occa-
sionay witnessing the toilet OF "a certain OeS'
lis first OPERATION before proceeding 10 WASH "as
no syathc his body round and round in BANDS oil
flannel up to the very throat. Having mus
Guarded himself arainst the contact of wafer, he
self. and was clean. For his hair he bad par
of brushes, which be used MS follows: fllnR ms
mouth as fun rs il would hold with water ne
lsnurted il all out suddenly on The brushes anu
then whiskcd and whrlCd them about ms mead
The hair. Of course. is worn so Snort ll@t hV
uu1 her Advancement is necessary. Tbs was nai
enough: but IT is only amonT The lower orders
that one secs how very dirty the natives are III
illcd with wafer which Is WplcniShed but never
cha, rcd in the slime Of these green and tc'rl
FOOLS have seen men wash first their tcet LII
face and hands, and lastly rinse ont thcir III u' 10
Tho account Of tic Khcdvc Tewfl's progress
through Uprcr Egypt is interesting not ohS lot
the insight il gives 10 oriental manners ou' ior
the proof afforded Of the popular good i'elng
toward the ruler. On the return 10 caro- VT.
ptlrr found that his rooms at the Palace were mol
Yet ready The Egyptian officials charged VII"
their rrcpar,,tion had done nothing and when
oncr waiting two or three months he finally got
into them. be discovered that they would have
IN he cleaned and furnished anew before they
, wore habitablc II was during this enforced
period OF waiting that hc witnessed the poS'h' Vi
lrprnplinr Of the wishes, barharous ceremony
in which the dervishcs lie down flat on the GROUND
making human pavement, over which the chil
tderyish rides on horseback. The derry lsh'e III
to>icatc themselves with haslash for the ceremony
. and are In a state OF semi-delrium when 1t takes
,laee Mr. Butler watched the performance care
July and this IS what lie saw
As stood actually in font OF the khedXes
tent upon the mating. my icct touchihe tne hliV
of heads, | could with horrible ciearhoss All
that happencd Many OF the poor wtetches hal
friends sGuatting before them and tanning thci,
sunl,en faces but no voice or SOUND was ue1clyu
among them. / the dreaded morse approach
etrange excited ciamor As the horse neared me
a frightened dervish sprang up and ran away pu,
another was promptly seized from the crowd ana
: hung down In his place. Now watched eIcty
footfal of the horse for | was determined 10
know the truth and to report II. 1iany OIL III,
natives had told me that the horse did not tread
: on the bodies but merely stepped aHoss thciu
} nanting his feet between. This l soon saw wa
false. the bodies were packed so close that The
; horse must trampIe uron them. 80
ON he came / saw the dreadful yielding OF inc
bodies thigh or uhs spne or shoulder, i thc
, the crushing weight Of the hoofs and l saw the
r writing of the poor tortured forms. just oplo
site me the horse planted his foot on the side OF
moor wretch and let il slip down between TWO
men the result was TINT he stumbled plunsc1
heavily forward recovered with difficulty, and
came with dreadful force on one or TWO bodies
before my very eyes. l set my teetn, lurou us
: with Indignation. and vowed that ms snouu
, never happen again. while in carriage opposit.
: n party or Europeans were laughing loud, as u
the thing were a joke. am glad they were not
English.
So the horse moved on, mangling the bodies
beneath his feet For n moment AFTER ne paSsco
rho deryishes Law SIT all bore the first shock III
silence for this IS the proof OF their faith But
after on instanrs pause all rose or trled 10 rise
Some were unhurt and jumped up neh-men
, othcr rs they tried to move shricSed and yelled
/. and fen back fainting It was an awful sight
forms half lifclcss. with fixed eyes, Dropped Jaw
pro,rrlding tongue others writing and phln9lne
in main The physical torture one Witnessed INC
dark faces whitencd with anguish. made one
3 siclI with horror and pity. But friends and
comrades crowded round and hurried the victims
of the scene The wounded are sent away rom
! cairo and the dead arc buried secretly, and nc
ono cvcr knows the number Of either. lest "
should no said that the Prophets miracle was moi
, accomplished. Accordingly the natives peleVe
. that no one ever is hurt.
Hail is perpcxing to the Arabs, as this anecdot'
shows
The weather now turned cold and cloudy anc
, was ms unpleasant ms 1t was unusual ~ cuii,l
! mated on March ID in n hailstorm, which grealS
/. ! ...uuloA lhn Arahs l overheard discussion II